Cold War Veterans Blog

Duckworth Takes Charge of VA's Public Affairs and Outreach Programs

WASHINGTON (May 20, 2009) - Tammy Duckworth returned Wednesday to Walter
Reed Army Medical Center, a key site in her long recovery from wounds
suffered in Iraq, to take the oath of office as the chief spokesperson
for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).



"I am so honored to serve the Obama administration by helping to care
for our Veterans," Assistant Secretary Duckworth said. "They are our
nation's greatest treasure and deserve the best care available. I fully
support Secretary Shinseki as we work to provide that care."



Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki presided over the
swearing in ceremony as Duckworth, a major in the Illinois National
Guard, became VA's assistant secretary for public and intergovernmental
affairs. Shinseki stated that "Tammy has traveled a unique path to be
here today, a journey far from over with many, many contributions yet to
be made."



As assistant secretary, Duckworth will direct VA's public affairs
programs and its intergovernmental efforts. She also will oversee
programs for homeless Veterans and consumer affairs.



Duckworth was an Army helicopter pilot flying combat missions in Iraq in
2004 when she suffered grave injuries when her helicopter was struck by
a rocket-propelled grenade, and she lost both legs and partial use of
one arm. She spent 13 months at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.



Although Walter Reed is not part of the VA's extensive network of
medical facilities, Duckworth chose the Army site for her swearing in to
recognize the facility's role in her recovery and to encourage other
disabled service members and Veterans.



"Walter Reed is where I first saw how effective the DoD-VA partnership
in caring for our Veterans can be," she said. "My VA coordinator had an
office at Walter Reed, and I saw her on a weekly basis even before I was
discharged to VA care."



Duckworth comes to VA from Illinois state government, where she had been
director of the state Veterans office in Illinois since 2006.



Her previous managerial experience includes coordinating the Center for
Nursing Research at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, and managing
clubs and districts for Rotary International's Asia-Pacific region from
2002 to 2003.



She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Hawaii and a
master's degree from George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
Born in Thailand, she is the daughter of a U.S. Marine who fought in
Vietnam. She is married to Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran and National
Guard officer, Major Bryan Bowlsbey.